June 2024 Newsletter

Happy June Assembly District 78! I'm your representative Chris Ward and I want to bring you up to date on the latest news.

First up, I want to provide you an update on the state budget. After careful negotiations, I'm pleased to announce that the Legislature has reached an agreement that will save critical housing programs, protect classroom funding, and ensure our safety net programs continue to support the most vulnerable Californians. With state revenues continually in a cycle of surpluses and shortfalls, we were facing a deficit of several billions of dollars that forced us to make some tough choices. As Chair of the Housing and Community Development Committee, I wanted to prioritize funding for affordable housing programs as we continue to face a housing shortage. In addition, I believe education funding is essential to ensuring equal access to quality learning opportunities. Finally, I wanted to ensure that Californians still have a an essential lifeline by protecting programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and others to assist those on the verge of homelessness or who are already unhoused. You can find more detailed information about the budget at the link below.

Next, I want to give you an update on a few bills from my legislative package for this year:

Currently, recovery housing programs are not eligible to receive state funding. AB 2893 directs the Department of Healthcare Services to create a certification program for recovery housing programs that is in compliance with "Housing First" policies in order to compete for funding. Recovery houses are an intermediary option between temporary housing and sober living centers, while providing some services that are below a clinical level of treatment. The bill is now in the State Senate and will next be heard in the Housing and Health committees. 

The Safe and Prepared Schools Act will set clear standards for California schools on how to move forward with high intensity drills, and ensure the students who participate have easy access to mental health resources. Active shooter drills have sadly become a new normal in schools across the country, yet without guidelines some are doing more harm than good. AB 1858 will help to provide guidance and reduce trauma by requiring the California Department of Education to include guidance in its School Safety Plan. The bill will next be heard in the Senate Education Committee. 

Finally, I wanted to provide a brief update on AB 1635 to facilitate the development of additional housing on the Hillcrest DMV property, in addition to redeveloping the DMV office at the site. I've recently taken some amendments to provide more clarity on a future project. These amendments will: 

• Maximize the potential for affordable housing
• Provide an accommodation for the operation of a farmer's market
• And ensure the development is consistent with preserving LGBTQ+ historic sites with the City of San Diego's plan.

The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization.

This month, I had the opportunity to participate in an event at the State Capitol to raise awareness and money for ALS research. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, can strike anyone, and there is currently no cure. The ALS Association invited me and others to volunteer to be dunked in a booth full of ice water - an update of the viral ice bucket challenge that took the internet by storm in 2014. I was grateful to have received the San Diego Chapter's Legislator of the Year award and am proud to be an advocate for support and therapies to address ALS and other life-threatening diseases.

I've chosen #AfghanEvac for my Assembly District 78 Nonprofit of the Year. Volunteers with this San Diego-based nonprofit provide crucial support to help America's Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. soldiers with resettlement, as well as advocate for their rights and well-being. To learn more about its mission, watch the short video below on #AfghanEvac.

In case you missed it, I chose Margaret Iwanaga Penrose, the President and CEO of Union of Pan-Asian Communities, as my 2024 Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month honoree. With over 34 years of service and dedication to underserved members of the community, Margaret is an inspiration and true embodiment of what it means to lead with compassion, respect, and morality. Check out the video below for more information on Margaret.

From left to right: Top to bottom: Top left: Assemblymember Ward kicks off Pride Month at the State Capitol. Top right: Speaking at a panel at BIO 2024 to highlight legislation that can support the bioscience industry. Bottom left: #TeamWard attends the annual Board of Directors meeting for the Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Bottom right: Holding a Burmese python at Animals at the Capitol Day.

As always, I want to thank you for your support. I'm grateful to be your representative and work on these issues and more. One of the best ways to stay informed is to follow my social media accounts on Facebook, X, Threads and Instagram where you can know in real time what developments are happening or what I'm working on every day.

And if you need assistance, please know that my district office staff is available and ready to serve or answer any questions you may have. Feel free to reach out to the contact information at the bottom of this email, and a staff member will connect with you as soon as possible. I wish you, your family and your neighbors all the best.

Sincerely,

Christopher M. Ward
Assemblymember, 78th District